Heather Nette King is a Melbourne-based interiors stylist and writer for many leading interior titles and newspapers. The hallmarks of her styling are colour and vibrancy, and she writes passionately about peoples’ homes and how they live in them.
Why your window furnishings are more important than just window dressing!
Windows are an important part of a fully resolved interior décor scheme, but their treatment is quite often an afterthought, and decisions about them are made once the floors, walls, lights, and appliances are in place. Let’s look at why getting the right window treatment for each of your rooms is critical to creating a highly functional, as well as aesthetically pleasing, home.
THE BEDROOM
I’d argue that the most important rooms in which to ensure your window furnishings are perfect are your bedrooms. Why? Because of the all-important human need for sleep!
Light is said to be the most important external factor in controlling our sleep rhythms - so having the ability to control the light in your sleeping spaces and block out light when it is time for sleep should be your first decision. Any window furnishing with light-blocking capabilities will achieve this, and block-out blinds are to me the most effective. My best pick for a contemporary scheme is the new ‘Contemporary’ Block Out range which come in either Roller blinds, Roman blinds, or Panel blinds. They are durable, have UV protection, and will block out unwanted light from the sun, streetlamps or even car headlights at night.
Being able to control the temperature in your sleeping spaces is just as important as light control. Even just a few degrees too hot, or too cold, can seriously impact your sleep, so opt for something that puts you in control of exactly how much of the external elements you let in or keep out.
I adore the look of vertical blinds in bedrooms – they are clean-lined and contemporary, and you can open or close them to varying degrees. If your bedroom glazing is a door, look at Veri Shades®. Veri Shades have no weights or chains so you can walk through them anywhere, whether they’re opened or closed – they just sway out of the way and settle back perfectly. This makes them perfect for creating a soft feature across a large opening.
Finally, the other all-important consideration for bedroom window furnishing is privacy. At any time of day or night, you want to be in control of who can see into your home. Plantation shutters have been popular for centuries – and for good reason – their frames can be opened out for a full, unfettered view of the world, or closed together to help control the light (and temperature) flow inside. And there is nothing like the look of fresh white shutters – it really is a decorating classic.
THE KITCHEN
They say kitchens are the heart of the home, and I do tend to agree – they’re for the family to come together for meals, for conversation, for cooking together (although I much prefer it when someone else is doing the cooking…as I am sure my family will agree). As a stylist I firmly believe that window furnishings in the kitchen should always aim to look as beautiful as possible, but there are some important practical considerations as well.
As there are so many potential hazards in a kitchen – flame, gas, hot water, steam, and sharp objects - flowing curtains and blinds are generally not a great idea. Rather, roller blinds, roman blinds, indoor shutters, or venetians should be used to help control light, temperature, and privacy.
Hygiene, and the ability to keep kitchen window furnishings clean, is also a consideration and for this reason I like venetian blinds. They are easy to wipe down and the aluminium styles are moisture resistant for steamy spots near your stove top.
Kitchen shutters are also a great option – they can be constructed from a PVC known as fauxwood, or from timber. Fauxwood has excellent heat and moisture resistant properties, so it is also suitable for bathrooms.
LOUNGE ROOMS
The practical considerations mentioned above are also applicable to lounge rooms or large living spaces. However, as we spend so much of our lives in the lounge, we should spend a little more time thinking about what to install there.
Loungeroom window furnishings can fully resolve (and make or break) a decorating scheme, and quite often lounges will have the largest windows in a home – so it’s worth really considering your options.
With these practical thoughts in mind, ask yourself what you want your most important space to look like. If you want an open space with light flowing in through lovely linen-look blinds or verticals, then look to Veri Shades® or Vertical blinds, or the stunning new Sheers in linen look fabrics from Carpet Court. Are you a lover of classic styling like the Hamptons look? In that case, head straight for Plantation Shutters. Do you want flexibility and light control? Then I would suggest block-out or sheer roller blinds, remembering that these can be used in addition to curtains or drapes.
Remember that Carpet Court can provide you with a free measure and quote, so the process can be stress-free and super-enjoyable too.
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